Timbarra Park

Timbarra Park has metal sculptures of a cow and a scarecrow in a farmyard themed park. Not a very inspiring park for sketching but pleasant enough on what was a surprisingly cold summer day. This was a Christmas meet and the last for the year with Casey Sketcher friends (most are present or past members of my sketch class for Casey U3A).

The main subjects were done on-location but the heading, text block and spot illustrations were added at home to complete the 2 page spread.

My page layout was inspired by what I learnt in the course Sketchbook Design offered by Sydney sketcher Liz Steel. While the final result always looks better with the added elements, my rendition of these extras can look stiff and I lose the freshness of work done on-location. This is a problem I will have to work on.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

Proteas and other Natives

A neighbour gave me these flowers from her Gippsland property. Personally gathered flowers make the best bouquets! Thank you!!

I'm not into delicate feminine floral art. These Australian natives however lend themselves to the bold mixed media work which I prefer.

#Sailorfude pen and ink, watercolour, Caran d'ache Neocolor II Water-soluble wax pastels #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

 

Backyard Bee Census

The Backyard Bee Census, was organized for the first time this year by CERES from 14th till 21st November. CERES describes itself as an environmental education centre, community garden, urban farm and social enterprise hub. It is spread across four locations in Melbourne, Australia. Results from the count were shared with their partner Wild Pollinator Count and resulted in the largest count ever for this long term national project which tracks what insects are pollinating what plants, where and when. 

The Backyard Bee Census is the flagship citizen science event organized by Wild Pollinators Oceania. Results from this year's count will take some time to be released. See end of this post for links to these organizations. 

After so many rainy days I finally got to take part in the Bee Census on 17 November. I never knew so many types of insects visited our flowers! 

Each chosen single (or group) of flowers is watched for 10 minutes and insects which land are counted and identified where possible. 

The Yarrow attracted 2 beetles and 3 tiny (flies?), only 2 European Bees. 7 European Bees landed on the 30x30cms area of Lavender I chose to watch. Their pollen sacs were bursting! 

Only one European Bee and 2 unknown fast flying insects on the Salvia 'Waverley'. 

I didn't get to finish my sketchbook page about the count until 29th November. The garden plants where I did my count were drawn and painted on location, the insects were drawn from my own photos.

Since doing the census I now enjoy a new appreciation of the insects visiting my garden. 

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

#wildpollinatorcount #wildpollinatoroceania #CERES

Bryn Mawr Park

It's only a very small park without a name (bordered by Bryn Mawr Blvd and Paddington Terrace, Berwick). I wasn't expecting there to be much to sketch from what I could see on Google Maps but the little bridge and the bed (for overflow water I'm told) plus the surrounding trees made it a pleasant scene. On this day the bed was dry.

The pleasant surroundings and the perfect weather made it a very nice afternoon for a sketchmeet with some Casey Sketcher friends (most had attended my Casey U3A sketch classes).

This was our first sketchmeet after the most recent 3 month lockdown. It was nice to see everyone again and with our Covid numbers still somewhat high, meeting in a park instead of in crowded streets or cafes seemed to make good sense. 

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #MoleskineWatercolourAlbum, 5x8” 

A Nature Journal

With our movements curtailed due to Covid I decided at the start of Spring 2021 to document our garden over the next 12 months. There is just so much to observe when you take the time, I can hardly keep up! 

In a way I’m returning to my early natural science training and enjoying it now through an artists’ lens. I've kept artist and travel journals but never a nature journal. It's opened a whole new exciting world for me. 

I'm not a botanical illustrator and don't aspire to be one. I enjoy a freer depictions of nature.

Today is the first day of summer. Here are a few sketches from spring.

The Yarrow is finally producing flowers.

The Yarrow was done with #Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Fabriano Artistico Hot Press Watercolour paper.

The rest, #Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 8.5”x 5.5”

Bellbird Park

Bellbird Park has many tall tree trunks left standing like sculptures, lots of Eastern Rosellas and a gum tree oozing RED sap like rubies glistening in the sun! 

This means the tree is infested by borer! The tree fills the channels in the trunk dug by the borer with sap and this flows out of holes made by the borer when they emerge from the trunk as adults.

The main sketch was done on location. 

Spot illustrations were done later from photo references to fill the 2 page spread. 

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, colour pencil, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”

Giant Gum Tree

Here was an opportunity to sketch this humongous gum tree in our neighbourhood. Plans to build 2 townhouses next to it was halted by the local Casey council a couple of years ago. The case went to arbitration and building only progressed when the height of the new buildings were lowered and safety of the tree was ensured. The townhouses are now up and I'm pleased to see the tree still healthy. 

This was sketched as part of the Urban Sketchers' global Sketch Together event. How exciting to be part of a global sketchmeet conducted live on social media. It spanned 24 hours across the globe!

Some text (and sky) added later improved the earlier second rate sketch.

#Sailorfude pen, watercolour, #Stillman&Birn Beta Sketchbook, 7.5”x 7.5”